(30 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – 30 April 2025
1. People cheering while one holds up a sign reading (French): “America is a terrorist state” during a demonstration in support of the military junta
2. People waving Burkina Faso flags
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Ocibi Johann, musician:
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED++
“It doesn’t surprise us that an American general lied. Because Colin Powell lied, Iraq was destroyed. Barack Obama lied, Gaddafi was killed. But this time, their lies won’t affect us. That’s why we tell them – we’re not against them – but we are against predation and economic slavery.”
4. Mid of protesters
5. People holding up signs against the head of U.S. military in Africa, Gen. Michael Langley
SOUNDBITE (French) Blandine Gansonre, activist:
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED++
“Those who didn’t build Burkina Faso and who want to destroy it, we’re here to tell them no, that we don’t agree. They should stay where they are and destroy where they are. But they shouldn’t come and destroy Burkina Faso. We agree with our president, we’re happy with our president. We agree with everything he does.”
6. Mid of people marching during the protest
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Sekou Ansumariam Dukuly, protester visiting from Liberia:
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED++
“I came to Ouagadougou today to participate in this demonstration in support of Captain Ibrahim Traore, because he represents hope for Africa, hope for Black people, hope for all freedom fighters around the globe.”
8. Pan of crowd during the protest
STORYLINE:
Thousands of people rallied in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou on Wednesday in support of the military junta after an alleged coup attempt and comments by an American official criticizing junta leader Ibrahim Traore.

Last week, the West African country’s military government said it foiled a “major plot” to overthrow junta leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore, with the army alleging the plotters were based in neighboring Ivory Coast.

Earlier this month, Gen. Michael Langley, the head of U.S. military in Africa, accused Traore during a U.S. Senate committee hearing of using Burkina Faso’s gold reserves to benefit the junta at the expense of the population.

Crowds of protesters gathered at the Place de la Revolution in Ouagadougou on Wednesday, chanting “Long live Captain Traore!” with some holding banners showing a photo of Gen. Langley with the word “slave” written on his head with red marker. Others waved Burkina Faso and Russia’s flag, a close ally of the West African country.

Until last year, the U.S. had military bases in neighboring Niger as part of its counterterrorism work in the Sahel, an arid strip of land south of the Sahara, but withdrew after the West African nation ended the military agreement between the two countries.

Burkina Faso, along with its neighbors Niger and Mali, has for over a decade battled an insurgency fought by jihadi groups, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.

Following military coups in all three nations in recent years, the ruling juntas severed military ties with longstanding Western partners such as the U.S. and France, and turned to Russia for military support.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger created their own security partnership, known as the Alliance of Sahel States, in 2023.

Following a September 2022 coup, Capt. Ibrahim Traore was named the transitional president of Burkina Faso and promised to bring security and prosperity to the West African nation, capturing the hearts and minds of many young people in his country and around the world.

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